"Supreme Court justices on Tuesday wrestled with the sensitive issue of whether a thirsty Texas water district has the right to access water across the Oklahoma state line."

"The case arose under the Red River Compact, an agreement between Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma that apportioned water within the Red River basin. The compact was approved by Congress in 1980.

The Tarrant Regional Water District, which provides water in the fast-growing Dallas-Forth Worth area, would like to access water in Oklahoma, but the Oklahoma Water Resources Board has refused. Oklahoma law restricts allocations of water out of state.